Geetha and her husband Lalbihari have 4 children – 3 girls and 1 boy. The eldest girl is aged 10 years. Lalbihari is a daily wage labourer and in a month he doesn’t gets work on a daily basis. During the flood on 13-14 Aug 2017, their house was half submerged in the water and as the walls got damaged, the entire house has tilted to one side. It may fall down at any time.

With the monsoon not even reaching many parts of India, Assam reeling under a major flood with death toll rising above 91 in 22 districts. About 20 lakhs people were affected and displaced due to incessant rainfall with the rise of water level of River Brahmaputra and its tributaries.

The situation in the flood affected areas
of Bihar continues to be in a bad shape following the massive destruction
caused by the Kosi River.

After the initial evacuation and emergency
rescue operations initiated by the Indian army and other relief operations,
the affected communities are still fighting hard to survive and are trying
to adjust to the new surroundings and challenges that they face each day.
The relief camps are still temporary and the needs are growing while the
solution to such a crisis is still in the air.

It is 34 days since the Kosi River in
Bihar breached its embankment to cause one of the worst flood situations
in India, taking many lives and leaving 3 million people struggling for
a normal life. The flood affected people continue to suffer and battle
with diseases. Relief organisations are carrying out their work in full
swing but the emotional and psychological trauma of the victims is only
worsening each day.

EHA Response

The EHA Relief team is continuing its
relief operations in the flood affected areas of Madhepura, Bihar.

Meticulous efforts are being carried
out by various organizations through several relief workers and volunteers
in Bihar. Continuous medical support is being provided by the medical camps
in various areas through the supply of medicines and also implementation
of sanitation methods. In spite of all the efforts being made, many people
are still struggling to find a normal life.

Emotional Trauma

Volunteers are encountering new problems
such as psychological depression, character disorderliness, fear and trauma
among young people and adolescents.

Owing to the devastating effects of the
Kosi River, a number of relief camps were set up in the Saharsha District
as most of the areas in this district are on an elevated level. 200 people
from five of the most severely affected blocks (Sanoavadra, Pathargarh,
Sor Bazar, Madhepura and Muraliganj) along with their livestock found shelter
at the Patwaha village of Saharsha District.

The EHA medical team climbed upto the Khalsa
Ghati village at 9000 feet height and provided medical assistance to the
quake affected families. It was the first medical team to operate at such
a high altitude.

The medical team had earlier visited
Khala village at 8000 feet height, where they were requested by Samurdhen,
a resident of Khalsa Ghati, to visit their village as nobody had visited
them so far. When the team climbed there with great difficulty, they found
that all the houses had collapsed and children, women and other old people
were staying in makeshift temporary shelter.

The EHA medical team climbed upto the Khalsa
Ghati village at 9000 feet height and provided medical assistance to the
quake affected families. It was the first medical team to operate at such
a high altitude.

The medical team had earlier visited
Khala village at 8000 feet height, where they were requested by Samurdhen,
a resident of Khalsa Ghati, to visit their village as nobody had visited
them so far. When the team climbed there with great difficulty, they found
that all the houses had collapsed and children, women and other old people
were staying in makeshift temporary shelter.

Today, the EHA relief team based in Baramulla
in Jammu & Kashmir, visited Jabla village situated at 6000ft height.
The health and hygiene conditions of the people are quite serious in this
village. 90% of the women in the village are anemic. No agencies have provided
medical relief in the area so far. EHA involved local volunteers and conducted
medical camp in the village. The medical team treated 135 patients most
of whom were women and children, and suffering from common cold, headaches
& ear pain. It was found that worm infection was quite common in the
children.

Today, the EHA relief team based in Baramulla
in Jammu & Kashmir, visited Jabla village situated at 6000ft height.
The health and hygiene conditions of the people are quite serious in this
village. 90% of the women in the village are anemic. No agencies have provided
medical relief in the area so far. EHA involved local volunteers and conducted
medical camp in the village. The medical team treated 135 patients most
of whom were women and children, and suffering from common cold, headaches
& ear pain. It was found that worm infection was quite common in the
children.

As of October 25, 2005 a 13 member EHA
medical team has treated 1200 earthquake victims in remote villages of
Uri Sector in Jammu & Kashmir. The team made its operational base in
Baramullah from where the members undertake an hour and a half trek up
to the remote mountains daily. Medical camps are conducted in these villages
everyday. The victims who come for treatment are mainly women and children
suffering from fever and other infectious diseases. There is also a high
prevalence of TB among the Gujjar community living in these villages.

The EHA medical team conducted a medical
camp at Namabla village in Uri region of Baramulla district. More than
150 patients were treated for common diseases like cold, fever, water born
diseases and minor injuries. The Team is also planning to visit more interior
villages in the coming days. Dr Mary, EHA's mobile team leader informed
that majority of the patients are small children. They were still under
trauma and some even needed medication. She has called for more supply
of vitamins, antibiotics as there is an increased report of diseases.

A team consisting of three doctors, 3
nurses, an epidemiologist, a community health specialist and EHA's Disaster
Program Manager left for J & K today. Contacts are being established
with local hospitals and four agencies in J & K. Volunteers of these
agencies are currently assisting our joint assessment team at different
areas.

July 2004 will remain forever in the memory
of the people of Cachar District. They were homeless, hungry and helpless,
with water everywhere but no safe water to drink. Their houses were submerged
by the surging floods. Cachar district was declared as one of the worst
affected flooded area in Assam.